Danielle Méndez - Assistant Coach / Goalkeeper Coach - Women's Soccer Coaches

Danielle Méndez

Title:
Assistant Coach / Goalkeeper Coach
Email:
mend2831@stthomas.edu

Pronunciation

Danielle Mendez joined the St. Thomas women's soccer coaching staff in July 2023. The 2024 season will be her second with the Tommies.

Méndez brings a wealth of coaching and playing experience to St. Thomas, with multiple coaching stints at the Division I, II and III levels. Prior to joining the Tommies, Méndez served as an assistant and goalkeeper coach at nearby Concordia-St. Paul University in 2022. During her lone season in St. Paul, Méndez led the Golden Bears to their fifth consecutive Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) Tournament appearance and helped goalkeepers Jessi Jordan and Ashlyn Waldon close the season with a 1.16 goals against average (GAA). She additionally led Concordia-St. Paul’s recruiting, fundraising and social media efforts while overseeing travel arrangements and study tables during the season.

Prior to her time with the Golden Bears, Méndez served as an assistant coach at St. Olaf College (2019-2022), the University of Montana (2018-2019) and the University of North Dakota (2017-2018). At all three stops, Méndez oversaw the implementation of goalkeeper training sessions and programing, which resulted in multiple All-Conference and Conference Goalkeeper of the Year honors. During her tenure at North Dakota, Méndez helped the Fighting Hawks reach their highest RPI in program history, along with breaking the program record for single-season conference wins and highest finish in the Big Sky standings. That same season, Méndez led North Dakota to its first ever Big Sky Goalkeeper of the Year award winner. Her coaching at Montana additionally lead to a 2018 Big Sky Conference Championship and Big Sky All-Tournament Goalkeeper Award.

In addition to her college coaching resume, Méndez served as the Girls Academy Goalkeeper Director at Salvo Soccer Club, a position she held from 2020-2023. In this role, Méndez oversaw all goalkeepers in the program and was the head coach of the U14s. She led players to numerous conference accolades and national recognition as well as being selected as a Conference Talent ID Coach and National Talent ID Coach. Méndez also served as the Conference Facilitator for the Girls Academy Advisory Panel, a leadership platform for young women across the nation.

Méndez graduated from St. Catherine University in 2016 with a degree in exercise science and earned her Master’s in sports and exercise science from the University of Minnesota in 2022. As a four-year starter at St. Kate’s, she graduated as the program record holder in career goals against average (1.44), career shutouts (19) and ranked second all-time in career saves (288). Méndez played semipro soccer for the Minnesota Twinstars in 2016 and 2017.